Murder increased in Philadelphia last year, contrary to the overall trend of America's big cities. But hang on, there's more. The people of the city lost their collective minds in the last election, choosing a DA with a pro-murderer mindset. After only a few days in office, he has taken a major step to make the city safer for murderers and less safe for decent people.
Chris Palmer, Julie Shaw & Mensah M. Dean report for the Philadelphia Inquirer:
Chris Palmer, Julie Shaw & Mensah M. Dean report for the Philadelphia Inquirer:
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner ousted 31 members of the office Friday, a dramatic shake-up and the first major staffing decision announced by the city's new top prosecutor, just three days after he was sworn in.* * *The sweeping change affected lawyers of all ranks and could represent a 10 percent reduction in the number of prosecutors. Names were not released, but current and former employees -- none authorized to publicly discuss the moves -- said the group included trial attorneys and some supervisor-level staff, many with decades of experience. As many as a third of the office's homicide prosecutors were asked to leave, sources said.
The announcement was the first bombshell in what some of his supporters have hoped -- and his critics have feared -- would be a wave of drastic changes accompanying the installation of the career civil rights lawyer to the city's top law enforcement job.* * *
Without explanations for the dismissals, speculation abounded about Krasner's motives. Some suspected he held vendettas against prosecutors with whom he clashed as a defense attorney. Others thought targets may have been picked due to run-ins with Krasner's onetime peers on the defense bar or his wife, Common Pleas Court Judge Lisa M. Rau, who once oversaw criminal cases.
Richard Sax, a longtime homicide prosecutor who retired last year, said the dismissals appeared "personal and vindictive," and would cause lasting damage to the office.
From the same article:
"Ed Rendell, the former district attorney, mayor, and governor, said such turnover was not unusual. He said he dismissed about 25 percent of the staff when he took over as the city’s top prosecutor in 1978."
This is a measured post, and it does not say, and I don't believe the author thinks this way, that defense attorneys cannot be prosecutors. What is needed is a commitment to the rule of law and zealous advocacy in the pursuit of justice. This may, of course, lead to certain differences in terms of priorities or resolution of close calls.
That does not appear to be the case here--this guy is letting go of experienced attorneys used to trying hard cases---in other words, he is hamstringing his office's ability to pursue justice.
That's playing with fire. Put aside the human toll of murderers or other violent criminals walking or getting light sentences for serious crimes, the corrosiveness to the fabric of society is a huge issue. If someone were to hurt me or a member of my family by committing a violent crime, the social contract demands that society take up the cudgel. If it does not, then it has broken the social contract, and it has no moral authority to require me to stand down.
Additionally, it is likely that this guy will bring bogus charges against those who exercise their right to self-defense.
I don't believe Rendell came in with an agenda to shift policies sharply in favor of the defendants.
“If Larry is going to be true to his campaign promises, he’s going to change the culture of that office,” Elmore said Friday. “To do that you have to change personnel.”
If it were only that easy. To achieve his objectives what he needs are employees who support his "vision" not people who are in fear for their jobs. Krasner may have let his backers know that he means business, but public institutional culture doesn't change that easily and certainly not based on the exercise of raw power. People ruled by fear aren't interested in Krasner or his objectives. They will do only enough to save their jobs. What will be remembered by the 90% who stay is that willingness to adapt to the electorate's (sometimes fickle) desires is not enough and that they could be next to be shown the door without any explanation.
The article quotes trial prosecutor who asked to finish a murder case, that he was just about to start, before he was let go. His request was denied. Firing a prosecutor who is willing out of sheer dedication to finish the case and then get fired is stupidity. The remaining prosecutors who are asked to sacrifice so much of themselves in the pursuit of justice will remember that one for a long time. Probably longer than it will take for Krasner's policies to fail.
RE: prosecutor who was let go who wanted to stay on to finish a murder case--imagine being the victim's family?
Just yesterday, SCOTUS sent back a death case to the 11th Circuit--based on it's own sensibilities--it cared not a whit about the victim's family who has been waiting for justice for all these years. Shameful.
This Soros-funded progressive activist will dismantle the time honored contract the prosecutor traditionally has with the citizenry. Lax law enforcement and Defendant's rights will be a priority-public order will be lost in the shuffle.
Sadly, this was predictable and Philadelphians elected him over an experienced woman prosecutor.
The progressive mindset that would cause such a result is beyond my comprehension.
The part about the prosecutor who was fired one business day before starting a murder trial, having met with the murder victim's family only one day before he was fired, absolutely breaks my heart. The fact that he asked to be allowed to stay to finish the trial speaks volumes about his dedication; the fact that his request was denied, as was his request to meet with the new D.A. to discuss the matter, speaks volumes about the callous disregard for the victim's family and the cause of justice in general.
Krasner fired a total of 31 experienced prosecutors without meeting with them, providing a reason, or releasing their names for public knowledge. They have no recourse.
So much for the transparency progressives prize.
This guy is a Democrat. He should be hung around the neck of every single Pennsylvania Democrat. If a beneficiary of lenience hurts someone, the blood is on his hands, and on the hands of the entire state Democratic party.
Democrats have been getting away with having unsavory associations for far too long. Obama and Sharpton, Ellison and cop-killers and antifa and now this progressive scum.